Olivier Giroud - Another Alan Smith or "Le Chapman"?

[highburyJD]

Giroud completes plenty of first time flicks, passes and layoffs
Carroll never will, he heads the ball or kicks it as hard as he can, that's it

[Lee1]

I'd like to see the odd headed goal if i'm honest. Apparently Newcastle haven't scored direct from a corner in 277 attempts since Carroll left. Sound familiar?

[northbank123]

We've actually scored a few from corners in other competitions this year as I remember. Koscielny and Giroud both nodded in at Reading and Podolski and Koscielny against Bayern.

Quality of delivery just isn't good enough by and large, and we have perhaps two players at most who will really actually attack the ball.

[highburyJD]

Against WBA we did one very different routine where everyone was in the six yard box
Not been repeated, mostly trying the Mertesacker as Bouldy near post flick on

[Ryanswannell]

Just watched a post-match interview with fans after the Everton game and one of them was defending Giroud's poor performances of late with the old "it's his first season" excuse. Why does this give him the right to up easy chances game after game and give the ball away after his first touch? Just me off.

[highburyJD]

often players improve in their second Prem season...
Seen Giroud statistically compared to Drogs a lot,
Drogba was absolutely terrible in his first year
Pires was only decent, many great players have pushed on second season
why does that annoy you?

[northbank123]

He ain't ever going to be a great player JD. Might improve and I'm sure you'll assure me he displayed all these skills at Montpellier and that Drogba showed exactly the same weaknesses first season but his finishing is atrocious, he doesn't use his body anywhere near well enough and I personally don't rate his movement as anywhere near good enough. It's no surprise he appears to lack belief in himself and spends so long casting wistful glances towards the sky when he fucks up.

He's 26 already, and the scope for 'adjusting to a faster and more physical league' (or other stock phrase) doesn't even nearly extend to needing time to learn how to finish simple chances. Unless the goals are twice as wide and 12 feet tall in France.

[Ryanswannell]

often players improve in their second Prem season...
Seen Giroud statistically compared to Drogs a lot,
Drogba was absolutely terrible in his first year
Pires was only decent, many great players have pushed on second season
why does that annoy you?

I'm not saying he won't come good next season, it's just that his inability to finish simple chances and a poor touch (his two biggest failings) have nothing to do with how long he has been in a league. That is why I get annoyed when people say he will suddenly become brilliant next season.

[Ryanswannell]

often players improve in their second Prem season...
Seen Giroud statistically compared to Drogs a lot,
Drogba was absolutely terrible in his first year
Pires was only decent, many great players have pushed on second season
why does that annoy you?

I'm not saying he won't come good next season, it's just that his inability to finish simple chances and a poor touch (his two biggest failings) have nothing to do with how long he has been in a league. That is why I get annoyed when people say he will suddenly become brilliant next season.

[g88ner]

often players improve in their second Prem season...
Seen Giroud statistically compared to Drogs a lot,
Drogba was absolutely terrible in his first year
Pires was only decent, many great players have pushed on second season
why does that annoy you?

Just out of interest, are you playing devil's advocate or do you genuinely believe you've seen something potentially "great" in Giroud? - and if so, what??

You use Pires as an example, but the difference between Giroud and Pires is night and day! - even if Pires wasn't efficient in his first season, he surely still had the underlying qualities that make a great player? - the vision, the touch, the awareness, the creativity, etc.???

For me, Giroud doesn't appear to have any of the qualities I'd expect to see in a "great" player. You use Drogba as another example, and I'll have to take your word on his shitness, as I can't remember that far back... but surely Drogba was bullying defenders? and being a pain in the backside?? - I just can't believe there was no evidence of a great player in Drogba's first season. It just seems hard to believe, yet that's what you're suggesting.

I don't have a problem with Giroud, and think he could become a very decent player for us, but to suggest he could be a "great" player flies in the face of reason. The evidence just isn't there to support it.

[highburyJD]

last season I watched him a lot (maybe 20 times)
Giroud was absolutely key to Montpellier winning the league
(an unbelieveable feat finishing ahead of PSG, Lille, Lyon and Marseille)

what was 'great' about him?
He of course wasn't faster, but his movement was excellent.
He didn't have more physical strength but I thought he used his body better.

The thing that made the difference with Giroud (which he has not displayed thus far at Arsenal)
was when la Paillade needed a goal he delivered - late winners and assists in games won by a single goal
he gave the team not just a focal point but belief

At Arsenal he has yet to deliver
his performance at the Hawthorns was disgusting
at the Grove v the Toffee's he had three opportunities to change an average performance into a match winning one
and of course he didn't take one of them

neither of my parents, whose opinions I respect, think he's good enough
it seems the prevailing view here as well
I think he's got something, and really wants to make it big

let's all hope he can

[g88ner]

last season I watched him a lot (maybe 20 times)
Giroud was absolutely key to Montpellier winning the league
(an unbelieveable feat finishing ahead of PSG, Lille, Lyon and Marseille)

what was 'great' about him?
He of course wasn't faster, but his movement was excellent.
He didn't have more physical strength but I thought he used his body better.

The thing that made the difference with Giroud (which he has not displayed thus far at Arsenal)
was when la Paillade needed a goal he delivered - late winners and assists in games won by a single goal
he gave the team not just a focal point but belief

At Arsenal he has yet to deliver
his performance at the Hawthorns was disgusting
at the Grove v the Toffee's he had three opportunities to change an average performance into a match winning one
and of course he didn't take one of them

neither of my parents, whose opinions I respect, think he's good enough
it seems the prevailing view here as well
I think he's got something, and really wants to make it big

let's all hope he can

Absolutely!

As I said, I don't dislike the bloke and I think he's definitely got much more to give, but it would be a huge surprise to me if he was first choice at Arsenal in a couple of years time. I'm almost certain he'll be usurped by a better player this summer or next.

I also don't think he suits our system or style of play. I think he'll be a very good mid-table player when he leaves... or a top player in an average/poor league like France, Holland, Turkey, etc. Just not Arsenal.

Still, time will tell. Good luck to the lad!

[donaldo]

often players improve in their second Prem season...

You're right look how great Squillaci Santos Chamakh and Gervinho were in their 2nd seasons.I have every faith in Giroud following in their footsteps

[mcdowell42]

Wenger on Giroud: "He has huge physical potential and he wants to play every single game. You will see more from him next season."

mmmm now i understand some of the posts on here, the leader has spoken so the sheep follow

[Lee1]

Genuinely want Giroud to do well/brilliantly for us....if he's got touch/physicality and goal scoring then great. I really want him to do to Vidic and Ferdinand at the bowl what Carroll did to them last night. Carroll,if we are needing that kind of player,apparently isn't good enough for us but Giroud is ? Must be missing the point I guess. When the going gets tough know who I'd put my money on but am probably wrong.